Ever notice how every year the holiday season seems to start earlier? Remember when “early” meant October? Now you can walk into Costco and see Christmas decorations in September! If you wait till November or early December to start thinking about decorations, you’re late to the game!
As the Founder & CEO of WorkTogether, I can tell you that the same is true with the spring hiring season. For those of us in the education sector, we know that spring is the busy hiring time. It’s when most education organizations, whether a school, an education nonprofit, or even companies that serve the education sector do the bulk of their hiring.
But hiring that used to take place in March or April is now taking place in January or February. Smart, savvy employers who want access to the best talent and the deepest possible talent pools know that waiting till March or April to launch a search is far too late. Simply put, many of the best JobSeekers have been scooped up by then. So, like your neighborhood Costco putting out Christmas trees in September, many education sector employers are launching their job postings in January for prime access to the best leaders.
What does that mean for you?
You need to be planning your spring job search NOW. IN DECEMBER.
Otherwise, you’ll find that by the time you’re ready to start searching and applying for roles, many of the best opportunities will have already been filled.
Here’s 3 Simple Steps You Can Take Today (In December!) to Maximize Your Job Search:
Step 1: Reflection and Exploration
The first part of any successful job search is to reflect by asking yourself a series of questions.
- What am I good at?
- What do I enjoy?
- What problems am I good at solving?
- What new types of roles do I have transferable skills for?
- What are my Must-Haves? (compensation, benefits, location, etc)
- In other words, if a role doesn’t meet all Must-Have criteria, it’s a no go and not even worth applying for.
- What are my Nice-to-Haves?
- In other words, it’s ok if a job doesn’t have these items, but it would be a lot cooler if it did. 🙂
Pro-Tip: I like to advise JobSeekers to hop on a job board (our job board, TrulyHired, is a great choice!) and remove all location, pay, and title preferences. Just start poking around and seeing what is out there that might be of interest and aligned to your abilities. If it’s been a while since you’ve searched for a job, you might be surprised what you find! Then, once you’ve narrowed your search down to what you’d be interested in (hopefully with some new additions - the broader the better at this stage!), layer on your Must-Have and Nice-to-Have filters.
Outcome: Know the 3-5 types of jobs (i.e. set of responsibilities - don’t fixate on title) you are applying for, why you are interested in them, what you bring to the table, and your Must Haves/Nice-to-Haves.
Step 2: Prep Your Materials
At this stage, there are two digital materials you need ready: an updated LinkedIn profile and a results-focused Resume.
- LinkedIn is one size fits all. Your profile should be relevant to the 3-5 types of jobs you decided you are applying for. Be sure to have invited all your professional contacts to connect (do this even when you aren’t job seeking!) and to mark down that you are Open to Work.
- With your resume, you should start by developing a standard resume that is your default. You can then tailor a version for each of the 3-5 types of jobs you are applying for. And remember, each bullet should be a result, not a responsibility.
Pro-Tip: Need some help? Our Career Coaches here at WorkTogether are PHENOMENAL! We have coaches that specialize in early, mid, and executive-level job searches. Whether you are planning your job search, developing your materials, or preparing for an interview, our expert coaches are there with you every step of the way. Your job search is too important to not put your best foot forward. Learn more about our Career Coaching Services here.
Step 3: Sign-Up as a WorkTogether JobSeeker (or Update your Existing Profile!)
Ever had the sneaking suspicion that the best jobs are out there and you just don’t know about them? Stress no more! WorkTogether can match you with your next dream job in education and social-impact - one that meets your Must-Haves and many of your Nice-to-Haves! Matches will be delivered right to your inbox.
If you’re never taken the step of signing up as a WorkTogether JobSeeker, it is faster and easier than ever before to start receiving aligned job matches directly to your inbox! If you already have a profile but haven’t updated it in a while, make sure you do so now before the spring hiring season is in full swing! You don’t want to miss out on great matches because your JobSeeker profile is out of date!
Sign-up (or update!) your profile today!
From all of us here at WorkTogether Talent Consulting, it is a privilege to be a part of your JobSeeking Journey. Here’s to an exceptional 2026 spring hiring season!
Together,
